It’s been a while since I’ve done a post profiling interesting and noteworthy posts from around the blogosphere. In the past, I included them as “re-blog” posts. Moving forward, I hope to do this on a monthly basis. This month, five topics:

Love. No, it’s not Valentine’s Day. But at a time when our world is filled with plenty of divisiveness, we could use a little old-fashioned love. From last year, Love! Love! Love! from my friend Lori at Jane Be Nimble might be one of my all-time favorite posts. Inspiring, motivating and heartwarming, it’s an example of how all of us can make a big difference in the world through “small” actions. It’s the kind of post that inspires me to be a better human being. Thank you Lori for sharing your love adventure!

While Lori’s project packed a lot of actions in a month, Judi Clement Wall has declared on Zebra Sounds that 2011 would be “a year of loving fearlessly” for her. I know I have missed a few posts, but every time I visit her blog, I am amazed at the high level of creativity and thoughtfulness involved in her writing and projects.

Procrastination. Let’s face it, all of us have been hit by procrastination at one time or another. Farnoosh Brock at Prolific Living tackled this important topic in her 18 Radical Ways to Stop Procrastination post recently. Filled with important tips and suggestions, it gives us some great suggestions to get past this once and for all. Get a pen and paper ready or print it out and put by your desk. Good stuff!

Steve Jobs. We lost a great innovator when Steve Jobs passed away a couple weeks ago. There have been many tributes recently, but I really enjoyed Garr Reynold’s take at Presentation Zen, where he explored Steve Jobs and the art of focus and Steve Jobs on marketing and identifying your core values. As always, Presentation Zen is not only a book by Garr Reynolds about design, but its also a destination where I’ve gained a great deal of information about a wide range of topics. I feel like Garr’s recent posts, which included vintage Steve Jobs videos, gave me some good insights about what Jobs stood for and ideas that I can apply to my own situation.

Work. Let’s face it…finding a job is not easy. Sometimes it feels downright impossible. If you’re in this situation, Afford Anything has a post for you. It might sound harsh, but Stop Crying That There are No Jobs. Create One. shares some thoughts on having a start-up mindset. I can identify with this and love the idea of empowering yourself by creating your own opportunity rather than waiting and hoping for someone to hire you.

I’ve been meaning to get to a post with links to some of my favorite blog posts read during November (and before). As always, I’m amazed at all the great content out there. Here’s a selection of blogs and blog posts that stand out to me…

Expressing Thanks and Gratitude

I’ve already linked to Marissa Bracke’s November project…30 Days of giving thanks on her blog. But it’s worth another visit since having a sense of thanks and gratitude is so important to our own peace of mind – in my humble opinion. I have enjoyed how Marissa has explored ways to not only give thanks and appreciation, but also how to receive it.

Also worth noting is Scott “The Nametag Guy” Ginsberg’s post on Thanksgiving about how we can cultivate an attitude of thankfulness in our lives. I especially liked Scott’s point that sometimes a traditional “thank you” is not enough and that there are times thank you is better said through consistent action and not the occasional “thanks” that is spoken or written.

Scott Ginsberg mentions Leah Dieterich’s ThxThxThx blog where she gives thanks for one thing every day. One visit will fill your mind with gratitude and amusement…I had a laugh at her gratitude note to Jessica Simpson and her gratitude about farts. Sometimes it really is about the little things, huh?

Telling Stories

Truth be told, I’ve always admired people who tell great stories – whether they are bestselling authors or my Uncle Len telling me about his experiences while serving in the Navy many years ago. These stories entertain, teach us valuable lessons and keep us connected to each other. My friend Lori at JaneBeNimble has explored storytelling on her blog in her Front Porch posts. One thing is certain, I am grateful for the wealth of blogs and posts on the topic of storytelling. Here are a few that stand out for me right now…

Throughout October, Jonathan Fields interviewed story guru Robert McKee on his blog. I found the five-part series of videos to be informative and enlightening and enjoyed McKee’s take on where to find the best writing nowadays (hint: it’s not in books). I think Fields did a great job interviewing McKee and helping provide insight into storytelling in ways other than just movies and television.

I recently stumbled upon and bookmarked Kathy Hansen’sA Storied Career blog. While there isn’t one particular blog post that grabbed my attention, I especially like Hansen’s link of storytelling with job search and career advancement. Having studied and practiced the art and science of interviewing, myself, I can really relate and agree with the importance of telling good stories in the job interview. Chances are, you’ll also enjoy her take on Donald Miller’s latest book and information on all things related to stories and storytelling.

Last week, StoryCorps celebrated it’s National Day of Listening, which encourages all Americans to honor a friend, loved one or member of their community by interviewing them about their lives. I think this is a great idea and is something I’ve been meaning to do with members of my family for a while. For a PDF guide on how to participate in this, please visit the NDOL site that’s linked above.

Marketing and Social Media

I’ve been a fan of Mitch Joel’s marketing blog Six Pixels of Separation for a while. I find his observations about digital marketing and social media to be very insightful. His weekly podcasts feature numerous influential and up and coming guests and are worth a listen. His recent post “Up Your Game” really hit home with me. It’s a post about marketing professionals trying to get ahead. Joel argues that marketing has changed so dramatically that it’s necessary (and easier than ever) for marketing professionals to keep learning and upping their game. I would also add that the world of work in general is changing so quickly that it is becoming necessary for employees in all professions to up their game.

Farnoosh’s Prolific Living blog has really caught my attention in recent months. Devoted to “smart habits for rich living,” I find her musings about travel, yoga, spirituality and Toastmasters to be highly entertaining and informative. It doesn’t hurt that I’m blown away by her blog design and the beautiful photos she takes for her site. Recently she attended Blogworld and released an eBook of the things she learned at the event. If you are a blogger who has read and enjoyed Darrin Rowse’s 31 Days to a Better Blog, you will appreciate her very enlightening eBook. If you are looking to improve as a blogger, you must pick up her eBook here.

That’s it for this month. If you have stumbled upon a new blog or a post that has you blown away…please feel free to share in the comments. Thank you as always for stopping by!